Taking the big leap to the small screen

IT IS a transition that many are making these days. From the silver screen, to the smaller screens in living rooms.

One of the big names to have migrated, is K. Balachander, who started out writing plays like Major Chandrakanth, Server Sundaram, Neerkumizhi and Naanal, and turned them into films himself, starting in 1965.

The producer, writer and director of more than 90 films turned his attention in the last few years to the small screen. Many credit him with bringing to it the same perfection and intensity that he follows on the large screen.

Balachander's experimentation with various media, be it stage, celluloid or the small screen has been followed up with his latest `Mini Cinema' - ``Kadal Vaangi Vanden'', a unique genre in the world of small screen.

``My son Kailasam is in charge of small screen (Min Bimbangal) and my daughter Pushpa Kandasamy looks after Kavithalaya.

For me, working for the small screen is comfortable and the risks involved in the big screen are not there. I am also able to bring in more new artists and on the small screen talent is used effectively and a striking big example is Prakash Raj.

I do not accept that there are good and bad films but I say that there are only enjoyable films. I think films are a developing phenomena. It is for the people to say whether they like a film or not. A low budget film like ``Sethu'' is a runaway hit. People liked it but a similar film may encounter a different response.

Had he not introduced a number of popular artistes on the big screen ? It was a time when there was not much of competition, he says. ``On the one side there was MGR and on the other side there was `Sivaji'. I was running my own show.

That too within the stipulated small budget. I was making ripples. I wanted to be different and I was able to do it. But now the risk is greater. The small screen is safer. There are more talented people and I am using them to the maximum in my serials''.

After ``Kalki'' there has not been any film for the big screen from him and people are always asking whether his concentration is centred on the idiot box.

``I wanted to do at least one film a year and had decided to do a 35mm film in 1999 itself. But it was postponed. I may do it this year. The same question was asked about the stage also. When I saw Gandhi Vs Mahatma I was disturbed for a week. I wanted to do a stage play immediately. But time is the question.

I have very little time now. I should concentrate on small screen.

I must do something for the FEFSI (Film Employees Federation of South India) as its president. In fact in our latest meeting we have taken a decision to conduct a star night on May 1 at the Nehru Indoor stadium.

The proceeds from this will be utilised to build an office on the land which is owned by the FEFSI in Kodambakkam.

On `Kadal Vaangi Vanden' he says it is a film he wanted to do on the silver screen, but was not able to, because he did not want fights, dance or songs in it.

He wanted to show how love between a Sikh youth and a Thevar girl is viewed by their families and what love can do. As it is more of a dialogue oriented film he preferred to do that experiment in the small screen. ``I have succeeded in my telefilm also. The number of phone calls and the letters I received have shown me that people, whatever the medium, like good cinema. I am grateful to them''.

By S. R. Ashok Kumar

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Section  : Entertainment